NORRISTOWN – A Lansdale man is headed to jail after admitting to exposing his genitals and masturbating in view of eight juveniles and two women on six separate occasions in the borough.

Gerald F. Boyce Jr., 41, of the 600 block of Wissahickon Avenue, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 30-days-to-23-months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to multiple misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure in connection with incidents that occurred between June 2011 and May 2012 at various locations in Lansdale, including at the Lansdale Train Station on West Main Street.

Judge Garrett D. Page also ordered Boyce to complete four years’ probation after he’s paroled from jail, meaning Boyce will be under court supervision for nearly six years. Boyce, who also must complete 100 hours of community service, must report to jail on Feb. 4 to begin serving the jail portion of his sentence.

The judge further ordered Boyce, a father of one child, to continue with “intensive therapy” with a psychologist with whom he has already begun treatment.

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Defense lawyer Christopher Perry argued for a probationary sentence on behalf of Boyce, arguing that Boyce has been receiving treatment with a psychologist for six months and is not a danger to society. State sentencing guidelines would have allowed for a probationary sentence.

“Now that he has that treatment ongoing, he has the tools to prevent this behavior in the future,” Perry said. “He accepted responsibility and he was apologetic to the victims.”

“There was no physical contact ever in any of the incidents and he in no way intended to put any of the people in danger,” Perry added.

Assistant District Attorney Noah Marlier sought jail time against Boyce, pointing to the serious nature of the charges and the young victims.

The judge said Boyce can be made eligible for the jail’s work release program but only after serving at least 20 days of his minimum sentence behind bars.

Court documents indicate Boyce exposed himself numerous times in the borough since June 2011.

With the most serious charges, authorities alleged Boyce, on June 25, 2011, exposed himself to four 15-year-old girls in the 100 block of East Main Street “and began to openly masturbate while smiling at them,” according to the arrest affidavit filed by Lansdale Police Officer Adrienne Duffy.

On Jan. 8, 2012, Boyce engaged in similar conduct in the area of West Fourth Street and Cannon Avenue in view of two 15-year-old girls, court documents indicate.

Two days later, an adult female reported to police she saw a man, later identified as Boyce, “with his pants down, shirt up, masturbating in the rear lot of the train station,” according to the arrest affidavit. Boyce engaged in similar conduct in view of another adult female at the train station on Feb. 6, police alleged.

On April 20, two 16 year old girls reported to police that a man, later determined to be Boyce, exposed himself and engaged in a lewd act in their view as they walked through the rear lot of the train station, court papers alleged.

A police officer investigating the rash of exposure incidents took Boyce into custody on May 14 at the train station after observing Boyce exit his truck and expose himself as a train pulled into the station and as pedestrians walked to their vehicles, according to the arrest affidavit.

About the Author

Carl Hessler Jr. writes about crime and justice at the Montgomery County Courthouse for The Mercury and 21st Century Media Newspaper’s Greater Philadelphia area publications. A native of Reading, he studied at Penn State University and Kutztown University before graduating from Alvernia University with a degree in communications. He is a recipient of a National Headliner Award and has been honored for his writing by the Keystone Press Association, Philadelphia Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania. Reach the author at chessler@pottsmerc.com
or follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews.